Pokémon: Rise Against

Chapter 21 - Burn

Chapter 21

Burn

I've grown accustomed to losing sleep

Sweep me off my feet

Dig your nails into my wounds and pull

A lucid dream

Where my chest will collapse from the weight of a fictitious ghost

Tear through me, sacrifice me to your sea

With broken arms I'm left to carry my shell

With no help from the current

- Counterparts

I

Zoe Johnson, her short black hair bouncing as she walked up the brown steel battlefield. Bloodstains were littered throughout it, smudges from where someone had previously half-heartedly cleaned the blood off, probably expecting more blood soon, her blood but hopefully his. She walked next to him, his canvas shoes rose under his slim jeans, to his black and white flannel shirt that fitted his slender frame. The beard he wore on his face was short, hardly a stubble, and his brown hair hovered over his deep blue eyes. He gave a small smile, but she couldn't return it to him. No matter the pleasantness her father had drilled into her as a child, she was half sure that her challenger only smiled out of habit anyway. They separated from each other and walked to either end of the arena. Her knees were shaking immensely, every step she took was as if trekking hip-deep in mud.

"Challengers, release your Pokémon!" She threw the only Pokémon she had ever possessed in front of her. Froslass emerged, and the temperature around it dropped as her graceful presence situated in front of Zoe. She recalled the memory she had when she was lost in her hometown of Rifure Village at the foot of the mountains. Lost and cold where Froslass as a Snorunt guided her back.

The slim man, in return, threw up his Pokéball into the air, and with a slam, Primeape emerged onto the field. It looked menacingly with a wicked scar above its left eye. He whispered something to it, but Zoe couldn't hear over the insanely loud crowd. She was picking her fingernails again; she couldn't stop. They were practically nonexistent at this point, and her cuticles were shredded to pieces. But she was okay, her mom was going to be okay; just win. Froslass was perfect against a physical attacker; she could dematerialize her body anytime an incoming attack was coming her way, making it immune.

"Today marks the first battle of the second day! Seth Conklin and Zoe Johnson, begin!" The crowd's voices shook everything as the vibrations collided with their surroundings.

Primeape ran full speed at Froslass. Its fist was cocked back, steam seemed to bellow out of its nose as Seth stood with his arms crossed, watching his soon-to-be final moments. "Froslass, avoid it!" She screamed out. Froslass dematerialized her body, going opaque as she witnessed Primeape launching towards her through her Pokémon's body. Seth stood back with a smirk glistening on his face. It wasn't slowing; it wasn't turning around to face Froslass, its enemy. It phased through Froslass's body, seemingly like it was the goal. Realization flooded her senses as Primeape was now running full speed at her, his heavy feet slamming on the steel floor. Froslass, understanding the situation, materialized quickly and swung around to see the retreating Pokémon running towards her trainer.

"Blizzard," Zoe screamed in fear. A freezing wind slammed into Primeape's back, ice now matted his fur. All the moisture inside of his back instantly became frozen, expanding his skin and blood vessels, tearing them apart creating shallow wounds. But he still stormed faster towards her, now only 15 feet away, seemingly gaining speed from the wind that was now making it hard for her to see.